Rejoicing Love

I’m pretty sure I’ve said this each time, but I am loving this scripture memory challenge.  I mean seriously, have you guys read the Bible?  It’s gorgeous.

I’ve been in church all my life, so I’ve read me some Bible.  Lots of it.  But it still catches me by surprise how new the Bible can seem, over and over.

It can be a bit overwhelming to try and pick one verse to memorize each time.  So I’ve started taking note of verses that catch my attention when I’m at church.  My pastor really encourages us to take notes during the preaching, so I usually jot down all the verses that are referenced.  I star the verses that really stick out to me, so when it’s time to pick a new memory verse I can scan through my notebook to get some ideas.

The preached Word of God is a way that God can speak to me each week.  And if God can create lightning out of nowhere, form electrons and neutrons, and keep the earth in orbit, I’m pretty sure He knows what I need to hear from Him each week.  I don’t understand how He can speak to each of us so intimately, but He’s God.  His ways are higher and there’s no way to understand all of Who He is.  I’m just in awe.

I’m a very black and white person.  I constantly fall into the mindset of trying to “prove” myself to God or trying to earn His love through my actions.  When I was younger, I was in constant fear of accidentally lying.  So afraid of doing wrong and disappointing God.  I still struggle with thinking that God’s love is conditional.  I know that it is the most unconditional thing in the world, but that concept is just so big to me.

This week Zephaniah 3:17 captured my attention.

“The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing.”

Wow.  That love?  That rejoicing?  That’s love for me.  For you.  Yowza.

God, open my eyes.  Let me see Your love for what it is.  All-encompassing, joyful, powerful, saving.  There’s nothing I can do to earn it.  There’s nothing I can do to dissolve it.

What verses are God speaking to you this week?